Lancaster City 1 Ramsbottom Utd 3

Victory over high-flying Lancaster City saw the Rams jump in to the play-off places for the first time this season.

Despite the terrible conditions, the visitors’ intentions were obvious as they took the game to their hosts who had started the game a place above them.

Scott Burton, Grant Spencer, Lee Gaskell and Owen Roberts all went close to scoring for the Rams in the opening exchanges.

They finally made the breakthrough five minutes before the break when Jordan Hulme fed Phil Dean and his cross was hammered home by Gaskell. The second half, with the Rams now facing the ferocious conditions, was more of an even affair and Lancaster levelled in the 58th minute through Jordan Connerton.

But the Rams continued to battle, and eventually gained their reward on 72 minutes when another dangerous run down the left by Dean saw the winger fire in a cross which was flicked on by Hulme at the near post, and in off the far post to regain the Rams slender advantage.

As the minutes ticked down, the home side threw everything at the Rams defence, but they stood firm before grabbing the points-clincher two minutes into time added on.

With City pushing up in search of an equaliser, the impressive Dean was able to take advantage of the additional space, and despite his first effort being blocked by the home keeper, the bounce fell kindly to the winger who managed to net the Rams third to seal victory – much to the delight of his team-mates and the vociferous Rams following in the crowd.